Great castle walls stretched before me, guilt and expensively adorned. I swallowed nervously, slightly daunted. Sure, I was excited, but I was afraid of screwing up, even though my companions said there was no way I could make a mistake. But, knowing me, there was always room for error. It would be just like to me to make a mistake on the most important day of my life.

The palace inside was beautiful. Tastefully designed with the perfect decorations, I felt as if I had just stepped into a magazine. I felt slightly winded standing in one of the hallways, awed by the place… surely I wasn't supposed to be here? But a glance at the map in my hands - my shaking hands - told me differently. And supposedly I was supposed to go through the door right in front of me.

This one was not as grand as the main entrance. It was a basic cream color, with a small golden doorknob. I barely had to turn the knob before it swung slowly open, revealing another room. I stepped inside, stumbling on the doorframe.

Then I was certain I was in the wrong place.

The floor below my feet was just an ornamental rug lying atop a basic hardwood floor, polished to the extremes. The wall's were a blinding red, slightly clashing with the floor and rug. Mismatched chairs accompanied the floor, all painted black. But what caught my attention immediately was the door along the northern wall.

It was a huge slab of wood - possibly pine? - in a circular shape, and I could feel the importance of it. Large, hand carved creatures danced along its frame, and something primal, I didn't know what, caused my hand to raise and touch the majestic creatures.

When I did, though, I didn't expect the jolt of electricity that networked up my arm in a wave of tingles, that caused me to fall right onto the ground onto my butt. It didn't hurt, but I could still feel its aftershock…

"Oh, dearie me! Hello! Are you alright there, darlin'?"

I scrambled to my feet, smoothing my hair. A squat, grandmotherly woman stood before me, her hair just a frizzy cloud of white sprouting up from her skin. What she was wearing made me feel underdressed: an Indian style dress completed with thousands of shimmering beads and threads. She wore silk slipper-flats on her feet, paired with at least four bangles around her ankle.

"Y-yes," I stammered, my teeth drilling into my lip. "Is this the…"The woman seized my hand and pumped it at what seemed like a thousand miles per hour, a toothy smile spreading across her face. "Oh hi dearie! My name is Violet. You must be Aravelle! Oh, my my my, come to get yourself a gryphon I suppose?"

I nodded, fingering a lock of caramel colored hair and tucking it behind my ear. Violet let go of my hand and sighed contentedly, looking me over. "Well," she said in a sing-song voice, "the gryphon's are this way." She spun on her heel and opened the door, fumbling with the large lock for a second. Once we were through, I gasped at the sight before me.

A huge barn-resembling area stretched in front of me, stall upon stall of hatchlings staring out at me with large, doe-like eyes. They chirped and whistled, nudging my hand with their beaks as I walked by. I felt a pang of worry, though. How was I supposed to know which one I was supposed to pick?

Violet stood at my side, humming a cheery tune as she tapped her foot on the ground. She seemed to notice my worry though, and smiled slightly. "Don't worry, honey, you'll know when you see him - or her. There'll just be sort of a… connection."

I nodded, flicking my eyes around. My heart was fluttering in my chest, causing my hands to sweat. I rubbed them against my pants, about to give up when I saw a gryphon standing in a stall at the very back, his head slumping against the stall door, as if this was all a routine. "Who's that?" I asked, staring, possibly quite rudely.

Violet's mood instantly shifted. She laid her hand on my shoulder, frowning. "That's Ghember. He's what we call Soulless. It's been sixteen years and he ain't never had a shot of gettin' a partner."

At his name, the gryphon swung his enormous head toward me, his gaze colliding with mine. I felt suddenly whole, and warm, like I had never seen the sun before. His eyes, liquid amber, the exact shade as mine, suddenly alighted, like he was feeling the same thing.

"He is not soulless," I said, almost rudely, and Violet's hand fell from my shoulder.

"Well, my stars," she whispered under her breath, following me as I marched down to Ghember's stall. Violet slid the lock, excitement nearly vibrating out of her toes. Ghember strode majestically toward me, stopping when he was only a foot from my face. I stroked his silky cheek feathers, and he pressed his enormous face into my hand.

Thank you, a voice rumbled in my mind, and I didn't have to guess that it was him. I smiled fully, staring at his face.

"You're welcome."